In just 7 1/2 weeks, the back-to-back NBA champion Warriors will return to the floor when they take on the Timberwolves in their preseason opener at Oracle Arena.

But thats hardly the marquee game on the five-game preseason schedule the Warriors revealed on Monday.

As we reported in early July, LeBron James will make his first Bay Area appearance with the Lakers in San Jose on Friday, Oct. 12 at SAP Center in the Warriors preseason finale. LeBron and the Warriors will first meet in the preseason two days earlier in Las Vegas.

Tickets to LeBron and the Lakers appearance at SAP will be offered to season ticket holders in an exclusive presale event on Tuesday. The general public will then be able to purchase tickets to the Warriors-Lakers game beginning on Wednesday at Warriors.com or by calling the 1-888-GSW-HOOP. Tickets for the Warriors other preseason games will go on sale at a later date.

Meanwhile, the Warriors preseason opener on Sept. 29 marks their earliest start since 1980. Just what a team coming off a pair of grueling, back-to-back title runs wants most, right?

Other preseason games include Kevin Durants return to Seattle on Friday, Oct. 5 at Key Arena when Golden State faces the Sacramento Kings. Durant spent his stellar 2007-08 rookie season in Seattle before the team moved to Oklahoma City.

The Warriors will also face the Phoenix Suns at Oracle on Oct. 8.

Each of the Warriors three games in the Bay Area will feature bobblehead giveaways for the first 10,000 fans in attendance. There will be a Draymond Green championship bobblehead giveaway at the preseason opener vs. the Timberwolves, a Stephen Curry championship parade bobblehead vs. the Suns and a Kevin Durant Sharks bobblehead against the Lakers in San Jose.

For those wondering, the NBA has yet to announce its regular season schedule, although that should take place within the next week or so.